Biggest winners, losers from SF 49ers Week 10 loss to Saints

SF 49ers Losers from Week 10

RB Jerrick McKinnon

I’ll be the first to admit I was a huge fan of Jerick McKinnon in this offensive unit, but he just isn’t going to cut it as anything more than a change-of-pace option. You can’t blame him, though, as his 2018 ACL tear and subsequent setbacks would have probably pushed most players of less ilk out of the league.

That isn’t to say he’s been horrible this year, but it’s clear he can’t handle the lead-back role in today’s NFL. He may have the speed, but he’s basically entirely lost his ability to shed tacklers. Everyone looks good when they’re running in open space (flashback to the NY Jets game in Week 2), but this team needs someone who not only has top-end speed but possesses toughness at least to some degree.  Fellow running back Jeff Wilson would have probably entirely stolen McKinnon’s job had he not joined his slew of teammates on the injured reserve as well earlier in the season.

McKinnon averaged a mere 1.8 yards per carry on 18 attempts on Sunday and was easily one of the offense’s worst players. I, for one, cannot wait until Raheem Mostert is back so the SF 49ers can get back some form of rushing power from 2019.

San Francisco 49ers

Look for McKinnon to resort back to a purely catching-down role for the remainder of the season. I can almost guarantee you McKinnon will not be on the 49ers roster in 2021 after a string of poor performances this year. A loser in my books this week.

LB Fred Warner

Linebacker Fred Warner deserves to not only be selected to the Pro Bowl this season but as an All-Pro as well. He has undoubtedly been the NFL’s best middle linebacker this year and has shown everyone he is a force to be reckoned with.

This doesn’t mean that he wasn’t a loser this week, though, as it was definitely his worst game of the season.

Sunday was the first time in Warner’s three years in the NFL that he did not register a solo tackle in the entirety of the game, and basically put up a goose egg at every single other defensive stat.

Except for a costly facemask penalty charged against him.

I won’t say much else because Warner is definitely this team’s MVP this year, and I expect him to bounce back in a big way next game, but he can’t be ignored as being one of the team’s worst defensive players on Sunday.

OT Mike McGlinchey

It’s almost a guarantee that at least once every game, someone bulldozes over right tackle Mike McGlinchey and creates a highlight. He’s been fine in the running game to an extent, but his pass blocking this year is one of the more damaging components to the team. He simply does not stand a chance against any good to elite pass-rushers in this league and has immense issues keeping up with their speed.

He is, simply put, a danger to the SF 49ers quarterbacks on passing downs.

I think it’s extremely evident he isn’t gonna cut it as a starting tackle for this team, and the front office needs to seriously look into replacing McGlinchey at right tackle in the upcoming draft or free agency period. That isn’t to say they should cut ties with him altogether, but they should move him to guard and let him prove to the team he deserves a spot on their starting offensive line.

SF 49ers Special Teams (Loser of the Week)

It’s kind of embarrassing the SF 49ers fumbled not one, but two punt returns on Sunday.

The special teams unit is one of the most important parts of the team for this exact reason. You just can’t turn the ball over after the defense has done enough to force a punt in a close game. It can’t be denied these two fumbles essentially put the nail in the coffin in an already longshot game for the Niners on Sunday.

I blame Kyle Shanahan here for constantly changing who he puts back there to return kicks. There is absolutely no point in employing a turnstile of players on special teams. Pick the best guy and use him consistently, or else you’re gonna keep seeing lackluster performances on special teams due to the lack of live reps.

Look for this unit to make a few changes and start to deploy a more stable option at punt returner when they return from their bye week to avoid another catastrophic display by the special teams unit.

All in all, this was another tough loss for the team, and this season is starting to look more and more like a wash for the SF 49ers. But we can just sit back and reminisce on better days until the 2021 season comes around.